The path that transforms healthy milk products into
allergens and carcinogens begins with modern feeding methods that
substitute high-protein, soy-based feeds for fresh green grass and
breeding methods to produce cows with abnormally large pituitary
glands so that they produce three times more milk than the old
fashioned scrub cow. These cows need antibiotics to keep them well.

Their milk is then pasteurized so that all valuable
enzymes are destroyed (lactase for the assimilation of lactose;
galactase for the assimilation of galactose; phosphatase for the
assimilation of calcium).

Literally dozens of other precious enzymes are
destroyed in the pasteurization process. Without them, milk is very
difficult to digest. The human pancreas is not always able to produce
these enzymes; over-stress of the pancreas can lead to diabetes and
other diseases.

The butterfat of commercial milk is homogenized,
subjecting it to rancidity. Even worse, butterfat may be removed
altogether. Skim milk is sold as a health food, but the truth is that
butter-fat is in milk for a reason.

Without it the body cannot absorb and utilize the
vitamins and minerals in the water fraction of the milk. Along with
valuable trace minerals and short chain fatty acids, butterfat is
America's best source of preformed vitamin A.

Synthetic vitamin D, known to be toxic to the liver,
is added to replace the natural vitamin D complex in butterfat.
Butterfat also contains re-arranged acids which have strong
anti-carcinogenic properties.

Non-fat dried milk is added to 1% and 2% milk.
Unlike the cholesterol in fresh milk, which plays a variety of health
promoting roles, the cholesterol in non-fat dried milk is oxidized and
it is this rancid cholesterol that promotes heart disease.

Like all spray dried products, non-fat dried milk
has a high nitrite content. Non-fat dried milk and sweetened condensed
milk are the principle dairy products in third world countries; use of
ultra high temperature pasteurized milk is widespread in Europe.

Other Factors Regarding Milk

Milk and refined sugar make two of the largest
contributions to food induced ill health in our country. That may seem
like an overly harsh statement, but when one examines the evidence,
this is a reasonable conclusion.

The recent approval by the FDA of the use of BGH
(Bovine Growth Hormone) by dairy farmers to increase their milk
production only worsens the already sad picture.

BGH causes an increase in an insulin-like growth
factor (IGF-1) in the milk of treated cows. IGF-1 survives milk
pasteurization and human intestinal digestion. It can be directly
absorbed into the human bloodstream, particularly in infants.

It is highly likely that IGF-1 promotes the
transformation of human breast cells to cancerous forms. IGF-1 is also
a growth factor for already cancerous breast and colon cancer cells,
promoting their progression and invasiveness.

It is also possible for us to absorb the BGH
directly from the milk. This will cause further IGF-1 production by
our own cells.

BGH will also decrease the body fat of cows.
Unfortunately, the body fat of cows is already contaminated with a
wide range of carcinogens, pesticides, dioxin, and antibiotic
residues. When the cows have less body fat, these toxic substances are
then transported into the cows' milk.

BGH also causes the cows to have an increase in
breast infections for which they must receive additional antibiotics.

Prior to BGH, 38%of milk sampled nationally was
already contaminated by illegal residues of antibiotics and animal
drugs. This will only increase with the use of BGH. One can only
wonder what the long term complications will be for drinking milk that
has a 50% chance it is contaminated with antibiotics.

There is also a problem with a protein enzyme called
xanthine oxidase which is in cow's milk. Normally, proteins are broken
down once you digest them.

However, when milk is homogenized, small fat
globules surround the xanthine oxidase and it is absorbed intact into
your blood stream. There is some very compelling research
demonstrating clear associations with this absorbed enzyme and
increased risks of heart disease.

Ear specialists frequently insert tubes into the ear
drums of infants to treat recurrent ear infections. It has replaced
the previously popular tonsillectomy to become the number one surgery
in the country.

Unfortunately, most of these specialists don't
realize that over 50% of these children will improve and have no
further ear infections if they just stop drinking their milk.

This is a real tragedy. Not only is the $3,000 spent
on the surgery wasted, but there are some recent articles supporting
the likelihood that most children who have this procedure will have
long term hearing losses.

It is my strong recommendation that you discontinue
your milk products. If you find this difficult, I would start for
several weeks only, and reevaluate how you feel at that time.

This would include ALL dairy, including skim milk
and Lact-Aid milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. If you feel better
after several weeks you can attempt to rotate small amounts of one
form of milk every four days.

You probably are wondering what will happen to your
bones and teeth if you stop milk. The majority of the world's
population takes in less than half the calcium we are told we need and
yet they have strong bones and healthy teeth.

Cows' milk is rich in phosphorous which can combine
with calcium -- and can prevent you from absorbing the calcium in
milk. The milk protein also accelerates calcium excretion from the
blood through the kidneys.

This is also true when you eat large amount of meat
and poultry products. Vegetarians will need about 50% less calcium
than meat eaters because they lose much less calcium in their urine.

It is possible to obtain all your calcium from dark
green vegetables (where do you think the cow gets their's from?). The
darker the better. Cooked collard greens and kale are especially good.
If you or your child is unable to take in large amounts of green
vegetables, you might want to supplement with calcium.

If you can swallow pills, we have an excellent,
inexpensive source called Calcium Citrate, which has a number of other
minerals which your body requires to build up maximally healthy bone.

It is much better than a simple calcium tablet. You
can take about 1,000 mg a day. For those who already suffer from
osteoporosis, the best calcium supplement is microcrystalline
hydroxyapatite.

It is also important that you take vitamin D in the
winter months from November to March. Normally your skin converts
sunshine to vitamin D, but the sunshine levels in the winter are very
low unless you visit Florida or Mexico type areas.

Most people obtain their vitamin D from milk in the
winter; so if you stop it, please make sure you are taking calcium
with vitamin D or a multi vitamin with vitamin D to prevent bone
thinning.

Most people are not aware that the milk of most
mammals varies considerably in its composition. For example, the milk
of goats, elephants, cows, camels, wolves, and walruses show marked
differences, in their content of fats, protein, sugar, and minerals.
Each was designed to provide optimum nutrition to the young of the
respective species. Each is different from human milk.

In general, most animals are exclusively breast-fed
until they have tripled their birth weight, which in human infants
occurs around the age of one year. In no mammalian species, except for
the human (and domestic cat) is milk consumption continued after the
weaning period. Calves thrive on cow milk. Cow's milk is designed for
calves.

Cow's milk is the number one allergic food in this
country. It has been well documented as a cause in diarrhea, cramps,
bloating, gas, gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, skin
rashes, atherosclerosis, and acne.

It is the primary cause of recurrent ear infections
in children. It has also been linked to insulin dependent diabetes,
rheumatoid arthritis, infertility, and leukemia.

Hopefully, you will reconsider your position on
using milk as a form of nourishment. Small amounts of milk or milk
products taken infrequently, will likely cause little or no problems
for most people.

However, the American Dairy Board has done a very
effective job of marketing this product. Most people believe they need
to consume large, daily quantities of milk to achieve good health.
NOTHING could be further from the truth.

Public health officials and the National Dairy
Council have worked together in this country to make it very difficult
to obtain wholesome, fresh, raw dairy products. Nevertheless, they can
be found with a little effort. In some states, you can buy raw milk
directly from farmers.

Whole, pasteurized, non-homogenized milk from cows
raised on organic feed is now available in many gourmet shops and
health food stores. It can be cultured to restore enzyme content, at
least partially. Cultured buttermilk is often more easily digested
than regular milk; it is an excellent product to use in baking.

Many shops now carry whole cream that is merely
pasteurized (not ultra pasteurized like most commercial cream);
diluted with water, it is delicious on cereal and a good substitute
for those allergic to milk.

Traditionally made creme fraiche (European style
sour cream), it also has a high enzyme content.

ęCopyright 2003 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation
and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in
a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in
writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Your
comments are welcome

The Meat Free Zone (MFZ) campaign is intended to make the MeatFreeZone logo as
recognizable a symbol as the "Smoke Free Zone". The idea was originally
conceived when The WARM Store in Woodstock, NY, was in operation throughout the
'90's (Woodstock Animal Rights Movement). The store was truly a meat free zone
as it was the first cruelty-free, Vegan, socially conscious animal rights store
in the United States. Now that the Vegan and Vegetarian movements have been
growing so rapidly, more and more people are showing concern about the food in
their diet and their overall health and nutrition. Many people are giving up
eating fish, chicken, beef, pork (pigs ), dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt,
ice cream) and eggs. Headlines of Mad Cow disease, E-coli
and salmonella are in the news with greater frequency. Vegan and vegetarian
recipe cookbooks are standard now in all bookstores and many restaurants have
added Vegan and Vegetarian options to their menus. We hope you will help us with
the Meat Free Zone campaign by putting the signs up in your homes and workplaces
and by spreading them to all the vegetarian and vegan restaurants that you know
and frequent. And someday we will have true "meat free zones" in establishments
that serve meat.
(d-2)